News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Lauren Booth is stuck in Gaza. The sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister and current Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair, who represents the US, Russia, European Union and United Nations in the region, was one of the most prominent foreign activists aboard the two "Free Gaza" boats that sailed from Cyprus last month to "break the siege" of Gaza.

Booth remained in Gaza when Israeli authorities allowed the boats to arrive August 23, as did the only Jew in the group, Israeli Professor Jeff Halper, who was arrested when he crossed into pre-1967 Israel after disembarking and the boats left the region on Friday.  She has been unable to leave because she does not have a visa to enter pre-1967 Israel by land from the region. According to Defense Ministry spokesman Peter Lerner, "There is no possibility to let in those people who entered by sea. They cannot enter Israel." She also cannot enter Egypt through the Rafiah Crossing for the same reason -- nor can anyone else who was on the boat, for the same reason.